Want to attract a man? Wear red

A study by the University of Rochester, recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, argues that the color red makes men feel more "amorous" toward women. And men are evidently unaware of the role the color plays in their attraction.

The researchers claim that this study is the only work, to date, to scientifically document the effects of color on behavior in the context of relationships. "It's only recently that psychologists and researchers in other disciplines have been looking closely and systematically at the relationship between color and behavior. Much is known about color physics and color physiology, but very little about color psychology," said Andrew Elliot, professor of psychology. "It's fascinating to find that something as ubiquitous as color can be having an effect on our behavior without our awareness."(source)

While some may argue that our reactions to red are based on societal conditioning, these scientists conclude that our response to red more likely stems from deeper biological roots. It turns out, human and nonhuman male primates respond in a parallel fashion. I get a kick out of this next quote: "As much as men might like to think that they respond to women in a thoughtful, sophisticated manner, it appears that at least to some degree, their preferences and predilections are, in a word, primitive."(source)

The study measured male subjects' response to photographs of women under a variety of color presentations. In one experiment, test subjects looked at a woman's photo framed by a border of either red or white and answered a series of questions, such as: "How pretty do you think this person is?" Other experiments contrasted red with gray, green, or blue. For those of you who are dubious (like me), researchers were careful to make sure colors were precisely equated in saturation and brightness levels.

In the final study, the shirt of the woman in the photograph, instead of the background, was digitally colored red or blue. (see above image from study) In this experiment, men were queried not only about their attraction to the woman, but their intentions regarding dating. One question asked: "Imagine that you are going on a date with this person and have $100 in your wallet. How much money would you be willing to spend on your date?" While red-clad women were favored for attractiveness and sexual desirability, that same color did not change how men rated the women in the photographs in terms of likability, intelligence or kindness. Good to know!

Although this test concluded that red enhances positive feelings, earlier research suggests the meaning of a color depends on its context. This is SO important to always remember when dealing with any aspect of color. I am sure that if the test subjects were studied under different conditions, (like stressful situations like tests or competitions), the results would not be so dramatic.